On Top of Old Smokey
Traditonal folk song originally popular in the Appalachian mountains (USA)
Information:
The Weavers
Pete Seeger
On Top of Old Smoky From The Year (1951)
Burl Ives
Biddyyy
Abba
On Top of Old Smokey
(Pete Seeger and Weavers version)
On top of old smokey all covered with snow
I lost my true lover for courting too slow
For courting's a pleasure and parting's a grief
And a false hearted lover is worse than a thief
For a thief will just rob you and take all you save
But a false hearted lover will lead you to the grave
And the grave will decay you and turn you to dust
Not one girl in a hundred a poor boy can trust
They'll hug you and kiss you and tell you more lies
Than cross lines on a railroad or stars in the skies
So come all your maidens and listen to me
Never place your affections on a green willow tree
For the leaves they will wither and the roots they will die
You'll all be forsaken and never know why.
On top of old smokey all covered with snow
I lost my true lover for courting too slow
(Burl Ives version)
On top of old smokey
All covered with snow
I lost my true lover
From a courtin' too slow
On top of old smokey
I went there to weep
A false hearted lover
Is worse than a thief
For a thief, he will rob you
And take what you have
But a false hearted lover
Will send you to your grave
She'll hug you and kiss you
And tell you more lies
Than the cross tiles on the railroad
Or the stars in the skies
On top of old smokey
All covered with snow
I lost my true lover
From a courtin' too slow
(Ballad of America version):
On Top of Old Smokey: about the Song
The roots of “On Top of Old Smokey,” aka “On Top of Old Smoky,” stretch across the Atlantic Ocean to England, perhaps as long ago as the 16th century. Its branches include many other folk songs with similar lyrical stanzas and tunes. A lonesome love song, it has frequently been sung high in the Appalachian Mountains for courting.
On top of Old Smokey
All covered with snow
I lost my true lover
By a-courtin’ too slow
Well a-courting’s a pleasure
And parting is grief
But a false-hearted lover
Is worse than a thief
A thief he will rob you
And take all you have
But a false-hearted lover
Will send you to your grave
And the grave will decay you
And turn you to dust
Not one girl in a hundred
A poor boy can trust
They’ll hug you and kiss you
And tell you more lies
Than the crossties on the railroad
Or the stars in the skies
They’ll tell you they love you
Just to give your heart ease
But the minute your back’s turned
They’ll court whom they please
I’ll go up on Smokey
On the mountain so high
Where the wild birds and the turtle doves
Can hear my sad cry
As sure as the dewdrops
Fall on the green corn
Last night she was with me
Tonight she is gone
Traduzione italiana:
In cima al vecchio Smokey tutto coperto di neve
Ho perso il mio vero amore per aver corteggiato troppo lentamente
Perché corteggiare è un piacere e separarsi è un dolore
E un amante dal cuore falso è peggio di un ladro
Perché un ladro ti deruberà e prenderà tutto ciò che salvi
Ma un amante dal cuore falso ti condurrà alla tomba
E la tomba ti farà marcire e ti ridurrà in polvere
Di neanche una ragazza su cento può fidarsi un povero ragazzo.
Ti abbracceranno e ti baceranno e ti diranno più bugie
Delle linee incrociate su una ferrovia o delle stelle nei cieli
Quindi venite tutte voi fanciulle e ascoltatemi
Non mettere mai i vostri affetti su un salice verde
Perché le foglie appassiranno e le radici moriranno
Sarete tutte abbandonate e non saprete mai perché.
In cima al vecchio Smokey tutto coperto di neve
Ho perso il mio vero amore per aver corteggiato troppo lentamente